


connection unstable

by floralicious (slightlyraspberry)



Series: dynamic lives, static signals [2]
Category: Layton Brothers: Mystery Room, Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series, Layton's Mystery Journey
Genre: I love them so much, Multi, journalist!flora, professor is still missing, some sibling teasing, the layton fam is worried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 13:28:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11760864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slightlyraspberry/pseuds/floralicious
Summary: Katrielle and Alfendi receive a pleasant surprise and an unpleasant reminder.





	connection unstable

**Author's Note:**

> This fic takes place the morning following "telephone blues."

Katrielle Layton blinked awake. Grunting, she pushed herself up and looked around the room. Besides her own body, the bed was empty. 

“Pip?” she murmured, rubbing her eyes. “Pipper?”

The only trace of the woman was the telltale crease in Katrielle’s sheets. Kat stretched and got out of bed. She slid her feet into slippers, not bothering to put on day clothes.

She leaned over to touch her slippered toes and limber up. _Lazy Saturday_ , she thought happily. Walking out the door, Kat rubbed her eyes again. She entered her small kitchen.

“These goddamned chocolate chips!” Kat’s brother was violently stirring something in one of her bowls. Strands of hair were escaping from his ponytail, and he was wearing an old shirt he had left at Kat’s months ago.

Pipper laughed. “Sorry, Madame Mayor, but I may just cut out your tongue if you keep laughing at me!” He rose in volume with each word.

“No, you won’t,” said Katrielle. She took the spatula from Alfendi. “You haven’t touched a knife for something other than cooking or investigating in your entire life, you absolute-”

Alfendi pulled the spatula from her hands. “Give me that. I’m making pancakes for you and your nutty girlfriend, you bastard!” he snapped.

“We’re both technically-” Kat sighed and rolled her eyes- “bastards,” she whispered. “Now don’t drive me to swearing, big brother. It’s simply not gentlewomanly.” 

_Sorry, Potty Prof _, she mouthed at Pipper. The mayor was wearing some of Katrielle’s pajamas, and Kat felt a sudden rush of affection.__

__Al turned away from her and continued his violent stirring. “I saw that, Katrihell. Since when do you use Lucy’s terminology?_ _

__“And I know you don’t give two shits about cursing, based on some of the things you’ve said to me. And that’s not even including what I heard last night!”_ _

__Katrielle ignored him. “Apologize to Pipper or I’ll be the one cutting out your tongue, Al.”_ _

__“Unusually violent for you, sister. What did I do to deserve the honor?”_ _

__The mad gleam in Alfendi’s eyes faded. “Oh, shit. My deepest apologies, Pipper. You know, the other me, he’s just- hm. Well, you know. Anyway, I’m very sorry.”_ _

__“No worries. I know Potty’s really just joking, Al,” said Pipper. She eyed the spatula warily, though._ _

__“Have I ever mentioned that I love you?” said Katrielle as she hugged the mayor._ _

__“Many times,” Alfendi grumbled. “This is the reason we’re not flatmates.” He poured some batter on a skillet. “So we don’t have to hear each other having-”_ _

__The doorbell rang. Kat looked at the door. “Maybe that’s Lucy. She usually comes around to drop off whatever I’ve left at her flat today…”_ _

__“Really?” Pipper asked. “Seems a little early.”_ _

__Katrielle and Alfendi glanced at the kitchen clock. Sure enough, it was only 8:00 A.M._ _

__“No, she’s an early riser. Likes to start the day off right and all that. Always has time to get us coffee, it’s nice,” said Alfendi._ _

__“She was probably up hours ago,” Kat said. She padded to the door and opened it. Before her stood not Lucy, but a middle aged woman toting many suitcases._ _

__“Surprise!” said the woman._ _

__Katrielle gasped. “Flora? But you were in- your fiancé- what?” She stepped aside to let Flora into her flat._ _

__“It’s okay for me to stay for a little bit, right?” Flora said. “Luke is taking David’s extra room, just until he finds a place of his own.”_ _

__“Who is it, Kat?” called Alfendi from the kitchen. She could hear the sizzle of his pancakes even from the hall._ _

__“Um… well… just a minute!” she shouted back._ _

__“Wait, what’s Al doing here?” asked Flora. She brought her voice down to a whisper. “How is he?”_ _

__“Al’s just fine, Flor- he’s Placid right now- but, um, he um, stayed over last night. It was movie night, just too late for him to drive home. He was in your room, I hope that’s okay.”_ _

__“Yeah, of course, that’s fine, but what do you mean ‘Placid?’”_ _

__Katrielle took two of Flora’s many bags. “He’s his calm self, you know.” The two walked to Flora’s room, keeping the conversation at a hush. “But he was his normal self earlier.”_ _

__They dropped the bags in the pink room. “Well, at any rate, I want to see him. How long has it been since I saw you two in the flesh?” Flora said._ _

__“Oh, just ages,” said Katrielle. “‘Fendi! Flora’s home!”_ _

__Alfendi turned from his position at the stove. “Flora? Oh my-” He dropped his spatula and ran to his older sister. They hugged, and Kat joined in. Pipper watched and smiled, munching a pancake._ _

__The three broke apart. “What on earth? I thought you weren’t leaving until the wedding was over!” said Alfendi. “And what about your work?”_ _

__“Well, there’s plenty of stories to write about here in London. David and I decided to postpone the wedding until we found Dad,” Flora said. Her face knit itself into a worried expression. “Do you two have any idea where he is?”_ _

__“I’ve already asked everyone at the Yard, and no one will tell me anything,” Alfendi said as he tugged at his shirt._ _

__“I’ve been looking for him all over,” said Katrielle. “And Pipper has got people looking in the whole of London. Bowlyn Hill, everywhere.”_ _

__Pipper nodded. “The search for your father is being well-taken care of, Miss Reinhold.”_ _

__“Thank you. And how have you been, Mayor Lowonida?” Flora asked._ _

__“I’m very well, thank you. All thanks to your lovely sister, of course,” said the mayor._ _

__“Wonderful,” Flora said. She grabbed a pancake off of a plate sitting on the counter and took a bite._ _

__“Mmm. Al, I daresay you’ve gotten better than me at cooking,” she said._ _

__Alfendi smirked. “I’ve always been better than you at cooking, Flor. Come on now.”_ _

__“Hmph. Think what you like, brother.”_ _

__“Wait, Flora, did you say you’re postponing the wedding?” Kat said. Her eyes grew wide._ _

__Flora nodded. “Yes, well, we can’t have it if Father is missing, can we?”__

____

____

“I suppose not.’ Kat frowned. “I have to cancel our airplane tickets now, I guess.”

__“Katrielle, David and I are terribly sorry about it. We’ll send out official notices soon, but I thought you two should know first,” Flora said._ _

__Alfendi sat down in a chair next to Pipper at the counter. “It’s alright, Flora. It’s so nice of you- and David and Luke- to come to London just to help look for Dad.”_ _

__“It’s the least we all could do,” sighed Flora. “David had to photograph some things around here anyway.”_ _

__“Alfendi? I think your pancakes are burning!” Pipper’s voice was filled with concern._ _

__“Oh, goddamnit!” A burning smell permeated the air as Alfendi rushed to turn off the stove. He slid the ruined food into Kat’s trash bin and replaced the pan._ _

__“Thank goodness you have more batter,” Kat said with relief._ _

__“Yes, sister, you haven’t had any yet. I know. You’ll have your own plate,” Alfendi said. “Flora, do you want some?”_ _

__“No thanks, Al. I ate with- with David.”_ _

__Alfendi poured new batter onto his pan. “What’s he shooting around here?”_ _

__“Just some local landmarks for a travel blog,” Flora said. “It’s boring for him, but it pays the bills.”_ _

__“I’m glad you could come home, Flor,” said Katrielle._ _

__“Goodness, me too. I just missed Dad so much, you know? And then to hear he was missing…” Here Flora faltered. “What with the wedding and my work, it’s just a lot. You know he would be proud of you guys for looking for him, right?”_ _

__Alfendi didn’t dare to leave the pancakes unattended, but Kat hugged her sister. “I know. It would be so much better if he were home, though.”_ _

__“Yes,” Alfendi called over his shoulder. “He drives me mad, but an old guy like him… It’s not comforting to know he’s out in the world somewhere doing God knows what.”_ _

__“What I find,” said Pipper, “is that family always reconnects in the end. When it’s meant to be, Professor Layton will be back.”_ _

**Author's Note:**

> Flora and her fiancé David are a web travel journalist and photographer respectively. They work on stories together. They previously resided in America, writing about American archaeological sites with their archaeologist friend Luke Triton.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
